Most motorcycles have a pair of shock absorbers which dampen the vertical movement of the front wheel of the motorcycle. These shock absorbers are commonly referred to as "forks" and, like most shock absorbers, offer less resistance to compression than they do to extension. Applicant's parent application described an assembly which could be used as a kit to replace the valve assembly in an existing shock absorber and change its damping characteristics. This change generally had the effect of softening the ride by decreasing the resistance to compression.
For extreme applications such as motocross, off the road or racing uses, the shock absorbers can bottom out-- that is, reach a fully compressed configuration wherein no further compression is possible. This, of course, terminates any further shock absorbing characteristics and can result in a jolt which can be both uncomfortable and could cause damage to the motorcycle. For this reason, it is often desirable to increase the travel of the front forks to increase the reaction time of the fork. In the past this could only be done by purchasing a new shock absorber which permitted further travel or by replacing some major component of the shock absorber. The expense of such a change is substantial and thus for many users the problem had no economical solution.